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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — wild animals
  8. degree — an amount
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — in cards
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. land — ground
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. land — a country
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. land — to come down
  18. game — a match
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. degree — from a university
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — high quality

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