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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. rash — a series
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. saw — the tool
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. march — the month
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. spell — magic
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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