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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tear — from crying
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rash — a series
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. spell — letters
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — for digging
  16. spell — magic
  17. craft — boats
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tear — from crying
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bowl — a dish

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