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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 · chest · face · swing · bark · safe · ruler · pass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. swing — music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. face — to confront
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. swing — to play on
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bark — to shout
  19. face — part of the head
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. chest — a box

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