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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ground — a position
  7. content — the amount
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. shower — rain
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — happy
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ground — the earth
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ball — a great time
  24. shower — to wash

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