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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. track — to keep track
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — to bear
  21. squash — to crush
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — a path
  24. row — a line

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