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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kick — in football
  4. court — for sport
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. scale — size or range
  8. saw — the tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. row — a line
  15. court — of a king
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. court — of law
  20. saw — the tool
  21. row — to paddle
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. scale — for weighing

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