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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — a division
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. cap — a lid
  14. present — a gift
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — a company
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cap — a hat
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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