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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a dance
  13. drill — army training
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — a lid
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. drill — the tool
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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