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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: mug · chair · bulb · toast · bear · rule · safe · stick

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — a law
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. toast — bread
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mug — a face
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chair — a professorship

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