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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chest — a box
  4. scale — in music
  5. track — a path
  6. scale — size or range
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. club — for dancing
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. track — to keep track
  18. club — for golf
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. club — a group
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — a song

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