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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. content — the amount
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rash — a series
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. key — in music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. content — happy
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — a strongbox

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