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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mate — a partner
  6. file — a tool
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a document
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stock — shares

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