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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. season — in sport
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — in music

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