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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. toast — bread
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pop — music
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pop — soda
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bear — the animal

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