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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — moving air
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. content — the amount
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. net — in sport
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — in control
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. content — happy

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