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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fall — the season
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fan — a supporter

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