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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fall — the season
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. tube — a container

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