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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. present — there
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. roll — a cake
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — in sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. staff — employees
  15. bulb — for light
  16. net — for catching
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — a tool
  21. net — after costs
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. leaves — of a tree

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