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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — clever
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — all right
  20. roll — a list
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. firm — a company

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