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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.

Make a worksheet

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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. can — to be able to
  4. court — of a king
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — for sport
  7. prune — to trim
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — the most important part
  10. court — of law
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — a match
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — a tin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. game — wild animals
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — out of danger

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