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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. club — for dancing
  4. spring — of water
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. present — there
  11. snap — to click
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — a gift
  15. mug — a face
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a hole
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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