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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitch — completely
  4. band — a ring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. band — a music group
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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