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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. drill — army training
  7. degree — an amount
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — a law
  13. bass — low music
  14. degree — temperature
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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