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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. wound — an injury

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