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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — a break
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. land — to come down
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. land — a country
  14. current — electric
  15. content — happy
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — of water
  19. land — ground
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — happening now
  23. content — the amount
  24. rest — what's left

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