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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cold — not warm
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cold — an illness
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — a container
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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