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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rash — a series
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. branch — a division
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rash — hasty
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — all right
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. can — a tin

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