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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stem — to come from
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cold — not warm
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — obliged
  22. kick — in football
  23. cold — an illness
  24. march — music

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