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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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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: bulb · safe · pass · lie · chip · season · trunk · stick

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — of the year
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lie — to recline
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — to eat
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — for betting

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