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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. capital — money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. deal — to handle
  11. capital — a city
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pound — a weight
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chest — a box
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. suit — to fit
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chest — of your body

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