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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. track — a song
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bat — the animal
  24. track — a path

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