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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. shower — rain
  3. present — the time now
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — there
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. present — a gift
  18. bulb — of a plant

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