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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ground — a position
  10. mate — to breed
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. craft — boats
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — the earth
  24. craft — a skill

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