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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: object · leaves · shower · wave · toast · date · fan · bulb

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. toast — bread
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — a thing
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. date — the fruit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. object — an aim
  20. shower — rain
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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