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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — army training
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. net — after costs
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. drill — a practice
  16. net — for catching
  17. key — in music
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. net — in sport
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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