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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · file · rash · lie · present · bulb · safe · ball

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. present — the time now
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — a gift
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. file — a tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — a series
  23. present — there
  24. file — a document

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