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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — happy
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bulb — of a plant

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