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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. chest — of your body
  4. tube — a container
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a committee
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chest — of your body
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bound — obliged
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chest — a box
  24. board — to get on

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