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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mine — for digging
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. present — the time now
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — thin

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