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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — soda
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — after costs
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. net — for catching
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. drill — army training
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — in sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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