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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tube — the underground
  3. drill — a practice
  4. face — to point toward
  5. current — electric
  6. drill — the tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. drill — army training
  10. current — of water
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mark — a grade

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