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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. perch — the fish
  7. track — a path
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. staff — employees
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. ball — a great time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — employees
  16. board — to get on
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bass — low music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a dance
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — a song
  24. bass — the fish

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