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

Word bank: nail · pit · bulb · kid · safe · ground · land · bowl

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — a position
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. kid — child
  12. land — to come down
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pit — in a race
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. land — a country
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. land — ground
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bowl — a dish
  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