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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — an aim
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — to play on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rest — a break
  20. fork — in a road
  21. object — a thing
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. swing — music
  24. safe — out of danger

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