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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. staff — a stick
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a line
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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