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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — the season
  6. ball — a dance
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. suit — in cards
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. suit — to fit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spring — of water
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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