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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. saw — the tool
  11. clip — a video
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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