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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pop — to visit
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pop — music
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. key — for a lock
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — the most important part
  21. kid — child
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chip — for betting
  24. kid — to tease

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