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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hand — help
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mug — a face
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. bulb — for light

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