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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — a company
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cap — a lid
  8. firm — steady
  9. cap — of ice
  10. firm — decided
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. march — the month
  20. fall — the season
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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