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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — a gift
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. present — the time now
  11. root — the cause
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — to tire
  15. hand — in cards
  16. root — of a word
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. present — there
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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