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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rest — what's left
  6. present — the time now
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. spell — magic
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. capital — money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rest — a break
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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