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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bat — the animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. object — an aim
  9. field — for sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. field — a subject
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. can — to be able to
  16. object — a thing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — to protest
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. field — farmland
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — a garden tool

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