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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — to come down
  3. bulb — for light
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. land — ground
  7. content — the amount
  8. rock — a stone
  9. content — happy
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mug — a face
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mate — a partner
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. land — a country
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — in music
  23. rock — music
  24. bulb — 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