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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. lean — thin
  2. present — there
  3. net — in sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. net — for catching
  10. wound — an injury
  11. present — a gift
  12. lean — to bend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — after costs
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to rest against
  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