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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: saw · ball · lean · safe · cap · can · fork · cold

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fork — in a road
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cold — not warm
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cap — a lid
  23. can — a tin
  24. saw — the tool

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