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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. current — of water
  7. mark — a grade
  8. key — in music
  9. cap — of ice
  10. clip — to cut
  11. current — electric
  12. cap — a hat
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cap — a lid
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. current — happening now
  22. bulb — for light
  23. clip — for paper
  24. nail — for a hammer

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