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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a dance
  4. game — wild animals
  5. season — of the year
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ground — a position
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. snap — to click
  14. ground — the earth
  15. season — in sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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