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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rash — a series
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. court — for sport
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bowl — a football final

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