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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. content — happy
  7. roll — a list
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. content — the amount
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — in a race
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — a hole

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