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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. court — of a king
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. court — of law
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. drill — army training
  20. scale — size or range
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — a practice
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — a tin

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