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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spring — the season
  5. date — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — a signal
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ball — a great time

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