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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a line of people
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rock — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ground — crushed
  12. file — a document
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a tool
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. ground — a position
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. foot — part of the body

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