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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cap — a lid
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — to fit
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. row — a line
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. object — to protest
  15. cap — a hat
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. last — final
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. object — an aim
  21. cap — of ice
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. object — a thing
  24. last — finally

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