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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. capital — money
  8. net — in sport
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bulb — for light
  14. capital — a city
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lean — thin
  20. net — after costs
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bear — the animal

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