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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — to bear
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. capital — a city
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. spring — of water
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. capital — money
  24. pit — a hole

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