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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cue — a hint
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a music group
  10. chip — to eat
  11. toast — bread
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cue — a signal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. band — a ring

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