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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: safe · plane · firm · mark · can · bat · racket · mate

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. firm — a company
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mark — a grade
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — decided
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. can — to be able to
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — steady
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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