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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. row — to paddle
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — a match
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. game — wild animals
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. row — a line
  12. branch — a division
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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