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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. chair — a leader
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. date — the fruit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. date — on the calendar

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