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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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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: safe · cabinet · fork · club · cell · file · racket · lie

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. club — a group
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cell — a phone
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — for dancing
  23. file — a document
  24. cell — in biology

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