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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — the earth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — to trim
  6. key — in music
  7. bank — for money
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bank — for money
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chest — of your body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. scale — in music
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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