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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — for digging
  9. spring — of water
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spring — the season
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mine — belonging to me

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