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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cell — in biology
  8. track — a song
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cell — a phone
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. key — for a lock
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ball — a great time
  21. track — a path
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chair — a leader
  24. safe — out of danger

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