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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. object — a thing
  3. rule — a law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. object — to protest
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cue — a hint
  11. object — an aim
  12. rule — government
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fall — the season
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rule — to rule out

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