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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 124 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pound — a weight
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bulb — for light
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. degree — an amount
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ground — a position
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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