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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — boats
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. toast — bread
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bulb — for light
  11. net — for catching
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — after costs
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pound — a weight
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. coach — a trainer

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