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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mine — for digging
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — in music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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