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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. clip — for paper
  3. row — a line
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to sink
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. row — to paddle
  11. clip — to cut
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. object — an aim
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. object — to protest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. clip — a video
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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