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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cap — a lid
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. season — of the year
  18. cap — a hat
  19. season — in sport
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cold — an illness

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