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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — steady
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fall — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — decided
  12. fall — to drop
  13. row — a line
  14. bass — low music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — in control
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — the fish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. firm — a company
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — on a finger

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