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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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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: pound · fine · swing · bulb · cap · leaves · mark · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fine — high quality
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fine — all right
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. swing — music
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bulb — for light

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