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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. cold — an illness
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cold — not warm
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cap — of ice
  22. staff — employees
  23. bulb — for light
  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