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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wound — an injury
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. net — for catching
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. swing — music
  23. net — in sport
  24. rest — a break

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