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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. game — a match
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to sink
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. kick — in football
  17. game — wild animals
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. key — in music
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bound — tied together
  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