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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tear — to rip
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — in music
  5. march — music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. court — of a king
  9. march — the month
  10. tear — from crying
  11. march — the month
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — of law
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — for sport

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