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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — a country
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a match
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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