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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mate — to breed
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. suit — to fit
  6. file — a tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a line of people
  16. root — the cause
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. file — a document
  21. firm — a company
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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