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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. shower — rain
  7. pit — in a race
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. saw — the tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ball — a great time

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