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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. clip — for paper
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bear — the animal
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. net — after costs
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. clip — a video
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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