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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 120 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: safe · bulb · spring · coach · cell · ball · fall · row

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. cell — in a prison
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. row — a line
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ball — a great time
  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