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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stand — to bear
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — in football
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — an illness
  16. perch — the fish
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rock — a stone
  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