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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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. fork — in a road
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. plane — a tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. present — the time now
  15. cold — not warm
  16. present — there
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. present — a gift
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cold — an illness
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — an aircraft

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