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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — a match
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. foot — a measure
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bark — to shout
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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