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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. shower — rain
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. court — of a king
  13. shower — to wash
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — a permit
  18. court — of law
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — for sport
  21. dip — to sink
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — to succeed

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