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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — to sink
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bear — the animal
  23. root — the cause
  24. bulb — for light

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