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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — a grade
  7. key — in music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lean — thin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bulb — for light

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