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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. drill — the tool
  4. march — the month
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. drill — army training
  12. ball — a dance
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. march — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. drill — a practice
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. march — the month
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a great time

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