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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — ground
  3. land — a country
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cell — a phone
  19. land — to come down
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cell — in biology
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ruler — for measuring

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