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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — of the year
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. clip — for paper
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — a video

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