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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cap — a hat
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. court — of a king
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. court — for sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. lean — thin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cell — in a prison

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