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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. dip — to sink
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. march — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — the month
  14. roll — a list
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. roll — a cake
  19. game — a match
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — a company
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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