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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — for money
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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