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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rash — a series
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spring — of water
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — a coil
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. kid — child
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. racket — for tennis

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