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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. band — a ring
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. band — a music group
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — to sink
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. band — a rubber band

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