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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. ball — a dance
  4. field — for sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. field — farmland
  8. bass — the fish
  9. charge — electricity
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ball — a great time
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mark — a trace
  19. content — happy
  20. charge — in control
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. content — the amount
  23. field — a subject
  24. charge — a price

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