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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: hand · cabinet · shower · safe · spring · roll · charge · ball

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. roll — a list
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. hand — in cards
  7. shower — to wash
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — a price
  16. shower — rain
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ball — a great time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — of water
  24. roll — on a roll

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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