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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — the season
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — help
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — of water
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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