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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fine — all right
  11. cue — for pool
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fine — high quality

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