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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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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bulb — for light
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. can — to be able to
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. deal — to handle
  14. suit — to fit
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — clothes

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