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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: saw · safe · net · present · court · chair · bulb · pop

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. present — there
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — after costs
  9. court — of a king
  10. net — for catching
  11. saw — the tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. pop — soda
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chair — a leader
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. court — for sport
  19. pop — music
  20. court — of law
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. present — the time now
  24. net — in sport

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