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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fork — in a road
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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