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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a dance
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bear — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bay — a horse colour

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