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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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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: lie · safe · march · pass · ball · dip · roll · scale

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — a permit
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — in music
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. dip — to sink
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — the month
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. roll — a list
  21. ball — a dance
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — music
  24. roll — a cake

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