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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. net — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — after costs
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — all right
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. net — for catching
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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