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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.

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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. net — in sport
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — a strongbox

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