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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. content — happy
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. capital — a city
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. capital — money
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. content — the amount
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bulb — for light

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