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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. ball — a dance
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. key — for a lock
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — in music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. perch — the fish

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