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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. can — a tin
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — to wash
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — of ice
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. can — a tin
  13. shower — rain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. spell — magic
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. staff — employees

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