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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. pitch — completely
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a dance
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. present — the time now
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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