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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cold — an illness
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wound — an injury
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cold — not warm

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