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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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. content — happy
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. content — the amount
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rash — hasty
  14. staff — employees
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. staff — a stick
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — to get on
  23. staff — employees
  24. board — a flat piece

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