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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. scale — size or range
  4. spell — magic
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rash — a series
  7. scale — in music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — to play on
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. swing — music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. perch — for a bird

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