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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rock — a stone
  5. date — the fruit
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lean — thin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lean — to bend
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cap — a hat
  15. tube — a container
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — to rest against
  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