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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — government
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — the amount
  11. bulb — for light
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. content — happy
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wind — moving air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. game — a match
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wind — moving air

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