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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.

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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a dance
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. snap — to click
  18. 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