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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. pop — soda
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hand — help
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. key — the most important part
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  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