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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. cue — for pool
  5. track — a path
  6. cue — a hint
  7. root — of a plant
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — the cause
  11. deal — to handle
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — in cards
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. root — of a word
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. hand — help
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a signal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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