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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. face — to point toward
  9. dip — to sink
  10. scale — size or range
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. drill — army training
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — part of the head
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to confront
  24. scale — in music

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