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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cap — a lid
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a ring
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. band — a music group
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cap — of ice

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