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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. row — a line
  4. staff — employees
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. net — after costs
  12. staff — employees
  13. row — to paddle
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — boats
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. staff — a stick

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