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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · safe · straw · ball · key · rock · pop · mark

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. present — the time now
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pop — to visit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. key — in music
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pop — music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — there
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pop — soda

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