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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — letters
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spell — magic
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bulb — for light
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spell — a short time
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. snap — to click
  24. safe — out of danger

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