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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — a division
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — to protest
  5. track — a path
  6. content — happy
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — a thing
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. object — an aim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. content — the amount

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