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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. object — an aim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — to protest
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stem — to come from
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mug — a face
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. object — a thing
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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