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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bulb — for light
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pop — soda
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pop — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — for measuring

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