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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. charge — a price
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. charge — in control
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a word
  16. cell — a phone
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. root — of a plant
  20. band — a ring
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. band — a music group
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — dry grass

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