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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — music
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — boats
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. land — ground
  14. ball — a great time
  15. land — a country
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pop — to visit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — soda
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. land — to come down
  24. pass — a permit

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