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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. object — a thing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. deal — to handle
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pop — soda
  21. object — to protest
  22. pop — music
  23. hand — help
  24. bulb — for light

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