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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. shower — to wash
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. board — a committee
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bulb — for light
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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