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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.

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: cabinet · chest · net · file · wave · safe · bound · tube

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. file — a document
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bound — tied together
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. chest — of your body
  15. net — in sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chest — a box
  20. bound — certain
  21. tube — the underground
  22. file — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — with your hand

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