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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. content — the amount
  8. rest — a break
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. kid — child
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. swing — to play on
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bulb — for light
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. content — happy
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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