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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · bulb · wave · craft · lie · fine

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — all right
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fine — high quality
  12. craft — boats
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth

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