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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. perch — the fish
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — decided
  16. mine — for digging
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. rash — a series
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. firm — steady
  24. swing — to play on

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