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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fall — the season
  6. club — a group
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — a match
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for golf
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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