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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the fish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ball — a dance
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a great time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bass — low music
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — the instrument

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