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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — decided
  6. court — of a king
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bound — tied together
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ball — a dance
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a round shape

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