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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. kid — to tease
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mug — to rob
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pop — music
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kid — child
  22. ball — a dance
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — a tool

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