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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ground — the earth
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. file — a tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ground — crushed
  17. face — part of the head
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. file — a document
  20. ground — a position
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — of the sea

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