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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. row — a line
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pass — a permit
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lean — thin
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pit — a hole

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