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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 116 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bear — the animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rule — a law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — all right
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rule — government
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stand — to bear

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