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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — completely
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. board — to get on
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. can — a tin
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. present — there
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. present — the time now
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stem — to come from
  24. leaves — to go away

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