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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ball — a dance
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. suit — to fit
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. shower — to wash
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — rain
  14. pound — a weight
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. temple — a place of worship

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