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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. spell — magic
  4. object — a thing
  5. current — electric
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. current — of water
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pit — a hole
  13. spell — a short time
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. shower — rain
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. spell — letters
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — for light

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