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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. band — a ring
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — a trace
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — to drop
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. band — a music group
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — the season
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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