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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.

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 · toast · present · racket · safe · tube · game · fall

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. present — there
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tube — a container
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. present — a gift
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — the season
  12. game — a match
  13. fall — to drop
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — bread
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  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