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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stand — on your feet

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