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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — clothes
  4. court — of law
  5. scale — size or range
  6. object — to protest
  7. key — for a lock
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. board — a committee
  13. key — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. court — of a king
  16. scale — in music
  17. court — for sport
  18. object — an aim
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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