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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. degree — temperature
  20. kick — in football
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bass — the fish
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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