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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — a match
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a lid
  14. drill — a practice
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fine — all right
  17. drill — army training
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ball — a dance
  24. spell — letters

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