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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — in a road
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. season — in sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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