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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cold — an illness
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — the cause
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kick — in football
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cold — not warm
  20. sharp — clever
  21. root — of a plant
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. root — of a word
  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