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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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — the amount
  3. present — the time now
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rule — a law
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spell — magic
  11. rule — government
  12. perch — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — there
  19. content — happy
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. content — videos and posts

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