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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. game — wild animals
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — clothes
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to sink
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. game — a match
  14. field — a subject
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — bread
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. suit — in cards

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