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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. present — there
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. branch — a division
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. degree — from a university

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