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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. board — a committee
  11. ball — a great time
  12. track — a path
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — to get on
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bulb — for light
  22. shower — rain
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ball — a round shape

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