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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 120 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — final
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a great time

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