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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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