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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — a group
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. land — a country
  12. bulb — for light
  13. land — to come down
  14. last — finally
  15. land — ground
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cap — of ice
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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