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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wound — an injury
  9. toast — bread
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. content — the amount
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. content — happy
  18. bulb — for light
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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