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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rest — what's left
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ball — a dance
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cap — a hat
  8. row — to paddle
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. net — in sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cap — a lid
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cap — of ice
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. net — after costs
  20. snap — to click
  21. row — a line
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — a break
  24. ball — a great time

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