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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spell — magic
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. spell — letters
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mate — a friend
  18. content — the amount
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. charge — in control
  22. spell — a short time
  23. charge — a price
  24. safe — out of danger

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