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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. club — for golf
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — rain
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — in music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — for dancing
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cell — in biology
  22. scale — size or range
  23. club — a group
  24. fan — a supporter

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