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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hand — in cards
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — to protest
  13. spring — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. object — an aim
  19. lie — to recline
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hand — help
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — a thing
  24. spring — a coil

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