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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pop — soda
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hand — help
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pop — music
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. spell — magic
  24. bulb — for light

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