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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — electric
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — from crying
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tear — from crying
  11. key — in music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cap — a lid
  15. current — of water
  16. tear — to rip
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — happening now
  21. track — a path
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mark — a trace

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