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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — an amount
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mate — to breed
  11. degree — from a university
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — a friend
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light

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