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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a dance
  4. firm — steady
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — decided
  9. cell — in biology
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cell — a phone
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — a company
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chest — a box
  18. ball — a great time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cell — in a prison

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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