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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pop — soda
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mine — for digging
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pop — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — to visit
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lean — to bend

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