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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bulb — for light
  4. row — a line
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fine — all right
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fine — high quality
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. net — for catching
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  24. net — in sport

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