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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. saw — the tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bat — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — the tool
  15. object — an aim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — music
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bowl — to roll

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