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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · shower · safe · pass · fork · ball · key · cap

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. shower — rain
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fork — in a road
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. key — in music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — a match
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — the most important part
  20. shower — to wash
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com