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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. net — for catching
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to click
  16. net — after costs
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — in sport
  20. content — the amount
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. content — happy

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