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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — boats
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bulb — for light
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pop — music
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. foot — a measure
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. date — the fruit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — soda
  24. foot — the bottom

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