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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rest — what's left
  6. net — in sport
  7. present — the time now
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. net — for catching
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — army training
  24. bulb — for light

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