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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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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to click

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