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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. swing — music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — a stone
  24. root — the cause

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