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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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