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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fork — in a road
  7. march — the month
  8. net — in sport
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. fine — all right
  14. game — wild animals
  15. net — for catching
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. march — the month
  19. fine — high quality
  20. net — after costs
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. game — a match
  23. can — a tin
  24. game — a kind of play

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