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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · board · bulb · fall · bay · rule · can · field

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. field — a subject
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rule — a law
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. can — a tin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bulb — for light
  19. field — for sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. can — a tin
  22. field — farmland
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rule — to rule out

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