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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wound — an injury
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bound — tied together
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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