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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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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bat — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. track — a path

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