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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cue — a hint
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cap — of ice
  6. key — for a lock
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — in music
  9. file — a tool
  10. cap — a lid
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ball — a dance
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a document
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. roll — a list
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cue — for pool
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. safe — out of danger

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