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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. object — an aim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — to rip
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bulb — of a plant

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