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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. dip — to sink
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — for a lock
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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