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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ball — a dance
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fork — in a road

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