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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: bulb · kid · mine · lash · safe · pit · mate · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bulb — for light
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — for digging
  11. firm — decided
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. kid — child
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. firm — a company
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kid — to tease

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