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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. shower — to wash
  3. club — a group
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. suit — clothes
  6. field — farmland
  7. club — for dancing
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — a company
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. firm — steady
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. firm — decided
  19. field — for sport
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. shower — rain

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