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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — in music
  3. ground — a position
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a friend
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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