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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — a phone
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — boats
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lean — thin
  8. key — the most important part
  9. craft — a skill
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mug — a face
  16. capital — a city
  17. current — electric
  18. mug — a cup
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. current — of water
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cell — in biology
  23. capital — money
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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