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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — boats
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. band — a ring
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bulb — for light
  18. band — a music group

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