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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ball — a great time
  4. drill — army training
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. content — the amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — the fish
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. content — happy
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a dance
  24. temple — side of the head

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