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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. row — a line
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a round shape

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