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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. file — a document
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. file — a tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. can — a tin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — there
  24. nail — on a finger

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