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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. court — of a king
  5. chair — a leader
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. court — for sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. net — in sport
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. court — of law
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — a break
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. net — for catching
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. chair — to sit on

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