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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a great time
  14. dip — to sink
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. clip — a video
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. clip — for paper
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. plane — a tool

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