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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — low music
  8. kick — in football
  9. tube — a container
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — the fish
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spring — a coil
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bound — certain
  23. tube — the underground
  24. spring — the season

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