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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 116 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: tube · rash · safe · club · pass · cabinet · cold · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. tube — a container
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pass — a permit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — not warm
  15. club — for dancing
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rash — a series
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. club — a group
  24. safe — out of danger

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