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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — a match
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — temperature
  17. lean — thin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rule — government
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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