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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — a short time
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. spell — letters
  8. court — of law
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. spell — magic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. court — of a king
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. court — for sport
  24. mine — an explosive

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