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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 124 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cap — a hat
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ball — a great time
  6. perch — the fish
  7. degree — temperature
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. degree — an amount
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cap — of ice
  17. degree — from a university
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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