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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a match
  7. net — for catching
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — of a word
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. game — wild animals
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. scale — size or range
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. net — in sport

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