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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — a break
  9. bulb — for light
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. roll — a list
  12. craft — a skill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — what's left
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fall — the season
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fall — to drop

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