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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pit — in a race
  6. roll — a list
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. field — farmland
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — the sport
  12. roll — a cake
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bank — of a river
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. squash — to crush

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