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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rest — what's left
  10. degree — from a university
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — an amount
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rest — a break
  23. rock — a stone
  24. saw — the tool

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