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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — to visit
  5. scale — size or range
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. suit — to fit
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. scale — in music
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pop — soda

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