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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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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fork — in a road
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — clothes
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fall — the season
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fork — a garden tool

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