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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a match
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. game — wild animals
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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