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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 116 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cold — not warm
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. suit — to fit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fall — the season
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fall — to drop
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — to spend time

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