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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. object — a thing
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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