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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. track — a path
  4. pop — to visit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pop — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. game — a match
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. track — a song
  15. game — wild animals
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pop — soda

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