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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fine — all right
  10. court — for sport
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. court — of law
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — of a king
  20. rest — a break
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a great time
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — high quality

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