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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.

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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. object — a thing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a skill
  9. object — an aim
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. object — to protest
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — completely
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. chest — a box

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