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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 always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. file — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — in music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. file — a document
  9. key — for a lock
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — a division
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a dance
  17. shower — to wash
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lie — to recline
  22. shower — rain
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — the most important part

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