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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — to get on
  3. lean — thin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. degree — an amount
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lean — to bend
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. key — for a lock
  19. board — a committee
  20. key — in music
  21. degree — from a university
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stand — to bear
  24. degree — temperature

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