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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a dance
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. perch — the fish
  15. spell — a short time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spell — magic
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. spell — letters

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