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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · track · spring · safe · kick · mine · arm · march

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. march — the month
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — a song
  5. spring — of water
  6. kick — in football
  7. spring — a coil
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mine — for digging
  10. march — music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. track — to keep track
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spring — the season
  21. march — the month
  22. track — a path
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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