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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — for light
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wound — an injury
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rock — music
  21. toast — bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rock — to move gently

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