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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: roll · safe · fan · snap · coach · bat · ball · craft

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. craft — a skill
  10. roll — a list
  11. snap — to click
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ball — a dance
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bat — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. safe — a strongbox

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