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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a great time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rest — a break
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ground — crushed
  7. tube — a container
  8. object — to protest
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ground — the earth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — what's left
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — an aim
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. object — a thing
  24. ground — a position

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