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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 120 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. track — to keep track
  13. band — a music group
  14. firm — a company
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — decided
  24. tear — from crying

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