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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · dip · bulb · degree · game · saw · toast · safe

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bulb — for light
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. toast — bread
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. degree — temperature
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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