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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 116 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spring — the season
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. root — of a word
  17. spring — of water
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. root — the cause
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. root — of a plant

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