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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. staff — employees
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bulb — for light
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — a path
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spring — of water
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. staff — employees
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bat — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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