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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fall — the season
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fall — to drop
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wake — a trail
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wake — before a funeral

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