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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pop — music
  8. present — a gift
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pop — soda
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. present — there
  15. lean — thin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — a thing
  18. present — the time now
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bulb — of a plant

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