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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. game — a match
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. march — music

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