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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bulb — for light
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — a group
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. snap — to click
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — bread

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