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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. tube — a container
  16. spring — of water
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spring — the season
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pound — a weight

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