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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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