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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mate — a friend
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. snap — to click
  11. march — the month
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. march — the month
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. march — music
  24. mark — a grade

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