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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — to wash
  7. can — to be able to
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mate — a partner
  13. shower — rain
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — a trainer

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