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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pass — a permit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a song
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — a series
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. face — to point toward
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pass — to spend time

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