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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ground — a position
  3. land — ground
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a great time

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