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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. current — happening now
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. content — happy
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. current — of water
  15. content — the amount
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. current — electric
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wake — before a funeral

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