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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cell — in biology
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. club — a group
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. cell — a phone
  11. kid — to tease
  12. board — to get on
  13. kid — child
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. club — for golf
  19. board — a committee
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — for light

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