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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — the underground
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — a group
  8. roll — a cake
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — a container
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ball — a round shape

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