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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.

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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: safe · deal · game · season · scale · mark · chair · drill

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — in music
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. season — of the year
  7. game — a match
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. chair — a leader
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. season — in sport
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. drill — army training

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