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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — a series
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — of the year
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mug — a face
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. drill — a practice
  16. season — in sport
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. drill — army training
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. drill — the tool

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