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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. craft — a skill
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. content — happy
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — to come from
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. content — the amount
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. craft — boats

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