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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — in sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — to fit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. file — a document
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — of the year
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. file — a tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. suit — clothes
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mark — a grade

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