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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kid — child
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. deal — to handle
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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