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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — a series
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rock — music
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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