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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. land — ground
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. land — to come down
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — a country

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