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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · pit · bulb · spring · pass · cell · lie · game

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spring — of water
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. game — a match
  16. pass — a permit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cell — in biology
  19. spring — the season
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — a hole

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