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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.

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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: cap · content · rush · game · plane · deal · drill · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cap — a lid
  4. game — a match
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. drill — army training
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. cap — of ice
  20. deal — to handle
  21. game — wild animals
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cap — a hat

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