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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rest — a break
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. land — to come down
  7. season — of the year
  8. firm — a company
  9. wind — moving air
  10. land — a country
  11. season — in sport
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. land — ground
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — steady
  20. scale — in music
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wind — to turn a key

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