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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. sharp — clever
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — to recline
  7. season — of the year
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. file — a document
  15. season — in sport
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. file — a line of people
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. file — a tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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