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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — a break
  7. object — to protest
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. object — a thing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. season — of the year
  14. rest — what's left
  15. content — the amount
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. season — in sport
  18. saw — the tool
  19. board — a committee
  20. rest — what's left
  21. content — happy
  22. object — an aim
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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