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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. club — a group
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. court — of a king
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. court — of law
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ball — a great time
  22. court — for sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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