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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. content — happy
  7. bulb — for light
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. object — an aim
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — of water
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — the season
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fine — high quality
  18. content — the amount
  19. object — to protest
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fine — all right

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