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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hand — help
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. court — of a king
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. hand — in cards
  12. toast — bread
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stem — to come from

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