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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — high quality
  4. shower — rain
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — for digging
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — to wash
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fine — all right
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pass — a permit

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