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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spell — magic
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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