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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wind — moving air
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. toast — bread
  21. wind — moving air
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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