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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. object — an aim
  3. board — a committee
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pop — soda
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — a thing
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — music
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — to protest
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — to visit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fan — a supporter

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