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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — wild animals
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — in control
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — electricity
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bulb — for light
  18. perch — the fish
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cue — for pool
  23. game — a match
  24. bulb — of a plant

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