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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pop — music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fine — all right
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fine — high quality
  22. present — there
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pop — soda

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