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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. wake — a trail
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. net — after costs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. craft — a skill

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