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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rock — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. game — a match
  8. capital — a city
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — money
  13. track — a song
  14. game — wild animals
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — a path
  24. ruler — a monarch

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