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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. land — ground
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rash — a series
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. bulb — for light
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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