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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. land — a country
  7. kick — in football
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. club — a group
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. club — for golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — ground
  18. club — for dancing
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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