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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cap — a hat
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. capital — money
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. capital — a city
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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