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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. capital — a city
  8. game — wild animals
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fine — high quality
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a great time
  13. capital — money
  14. key — in music
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fine — all right
  23. game — a match
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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