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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. file — a tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a hat
  13. file — a document
  14. cap — a lid
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cap — of ice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. branch — a division
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — to fit

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