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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pit — in a race
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. staff — employees
  15. clip — for paper
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. sharp — exactly

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