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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — a permit
  10. roll — a list
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. can — to be able to
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — a cake
  23. can — a tin
  24. safe — out of danger

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