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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fine — all right
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — a division
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a dance

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