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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ground — a position
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. spell — magic
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pass — a permit
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. snap — to click
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ground — the earth
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spell — letters

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