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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. march — the month
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a song
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. march — music
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. track — a path
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. deal — an agreement

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