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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to click
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. field — for sport
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. field — farmland
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a ring
  21. field — a subject
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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