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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — high quality
  6. tear — from crying
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — hurry
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. staff — a stick
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tear — from crying
  18. staff — employees
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fine — all right
  22. staff — employees
  23. tear — to rip
  24. march — music

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