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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — for catching
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bank — of a river
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — to bear
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. content — happy
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — of ice
  17. net — in sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. content — the amount
  24. net — after costs

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