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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. 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. mark — to pay attention
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bulb — for light
  5. game — wild animals
  6. scale — size or range
  7. game — a match
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. scale — in music
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — a grade
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — to bear
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. 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