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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cell — in biology
  7. root — the cause
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. root — of a word
  16. staff — employees
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. root — of a plant
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pit — in a race
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pit — a hole

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