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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. root — of a word
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — to bear
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a great time
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. root — the cause
  14. kick — in football
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mark — a grade
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. row — a line

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