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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tube — a container
  8. wound — an injury
  9. staff — employees
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pop — soda
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — to visit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. staff — a stick
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pop — music
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. key — in music
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wound — an injury
  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