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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. net — in sport
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. net — for catching
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bulb — for light
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fine — all right
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. net — after costs
  17. fine — high quality
  18. staff — employees

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