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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: foot · last · bear · firm · pop · safe · rest · bulb

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. firm — a company
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. firm — steady
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. firm — decided
  17. pop — soda
  18. last — final
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. last — to go on
  23. bear — the animal
  24. last — finally

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