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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mate — a partner
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. last — finally
  14. mate — a friend
  15. march — music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. march — the month
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. march — the month

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