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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rock — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rest — a break
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. branch — a division
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cue — for pool
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mark — a trace
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. branch — of a tree

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