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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pit — a hole
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — to tease
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mark — a grade
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — a trace

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