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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 · lie · firm · drill · ball · safe · spell · date

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — army training
  4. date — the fruit
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cap — a lid
  10. drill — a practice
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. ball — a dance
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. spell — letters
  18. cap — a hat
  19. firm — a company
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — magic
  24. date — on the calendar

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