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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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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: court · toast · rock · cap · pass · cold · bulb · safe

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cap — a hat
  5. court — of law
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cap — a lid
  13. toast — bread
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cap — of ice
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. court — for sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. court — of a king

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