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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. clip — to cut
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. clip — for paper
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. clip — a video
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. date — the fruit
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — to fit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rule — government
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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