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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. key — in music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — the most important part
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fall — the season
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pit — in a race

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