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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — rain
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bound — certain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — obliged
  13. object — a thing
  14. mug — a cup
  15. shower — to wash
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bound — tied together
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mug — a face
  23. object — an aim
  24. dip — to sink

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