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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chest — a box
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chest — of your body
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ground — the earth
  13. net — after costs
  14. fine — all right
  15. ground — a position
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — in a road
  18. net — in sport
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chest — of your body
  22. net — for catching
  23. toast — bread
  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