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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — decided
  4. wind — moving air
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. plane — a tool
  11. firm — steady
  12. swing — music
  13. lean — thin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. tube — a container
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. firm — a company
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. swing — in golf
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lean — to rest against

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