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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. foot — a measure
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. last — final
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. band — a music group
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. last — finally
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. last — to go on
  23. suit — in cards
  24. nail — for a hammer

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