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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — to cut
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. last — final
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. last — finally
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — to go on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — a hat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. clip — a video
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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