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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. roll — a list
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — final
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — for sport
  8. club — a group
  9. roll — a cake
  10. court — of law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. court — of a king
  16. club — for dancing
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — finally
  20. club — for golf
  21. bulb — for light
  22. last — to go on
  23. rest — a break
  24. cabinet — ministers

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