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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. game — wild animals
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a great time
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ground — a position
  24. ball — a dance

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