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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — a grade
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — the animal

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