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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. march — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. drill — army training
  6. court — for sport
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. court — of a king
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. court — of law
  20. drill — the tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cell — a phone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — out of danger

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