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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: tear · jam · bat · bulb · deal · mark · foot · safe

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. deal — to handle
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tear — to rip

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