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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. game — a match
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bear — the animal

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