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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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — in cards
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a great time
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — all right
  14. chest — a box
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chest — of your body
  18. key — in music
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chest — of your body
  23. perch — the fish
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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