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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 116 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. club — a group
  9. march — the month
  10. key — the most important part
  11. face — part of the head
  12. key — for a lock
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ball — a dance
  15. degree — temperature
  16. face — to point toward
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a great time
  19. march — the month
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. club — for golf
  23. key — in music
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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