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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: can · cabinet · wake · bulb · last · rush · board · clip

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. last — finally
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. board — to get on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. clip — a video
  11. can — to be able to
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rush — hurry
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. last — final
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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