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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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