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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — a position
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cue — for pool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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