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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spell — magic
  10. saw — the tool
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — a container
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — the underground
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — in music
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. spell — a short time

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