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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. land — ground
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mate — to breed
  11. present — a gift
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bass — low music
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — a country
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mark — a trace

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