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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 124 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ball — a dance
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — to paddle
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. row — a line
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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