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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. present — there
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. present — a gift
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. present — the time now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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