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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cap — a hat
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. prune — to trim
  10. last — finally
  11. cap — a lid
  12. key — for a lock
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ball — a dance
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — the most important part
  18. last — final
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. key — in music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. last — to go on
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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