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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — crushed
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ground — the earth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — to handle
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ground — a position
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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