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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. club — for dancing
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — a price
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. charge — electricity
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. charge — in control
  18. cue — a hint
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bulb — for light

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