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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. toast — bread
  5. club — a group
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. club — for golf
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bulb — for light

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