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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lean — thin
  4. present — the time now
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chest — of your body
  9. present — there
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. present — a gift
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lean — to bend
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. chest — a box
  24. row — a line

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