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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wake — a trail
  4. firm — steady
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rule — a law
  8. net — after costs
  9. firm — a company
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — decided
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rule — government
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. season — of the year

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