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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — electricity
  5. toast — bread
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. branch — a division
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. game — wild animals
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. plane — in geometry

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