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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bound · safe · mate · cold · can · fine · object · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. object — a thing
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mate — to breed
  5. can — a tin
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. can — to be able to
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bound — certain
  10. object — to protest
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — all right
  14. mate — a friend
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mate — a partner
  20. can — a tin
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cold — not warm
  23. object — an aim
  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