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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stock — shares
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. roll — a cake
  15. squash — the sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — to crush

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