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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. roll — a list
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — a committee
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — to be able to
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. club — for golf
  15. board — to get on
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. club — a group
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for dancing
  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