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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rock — music
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bulb — for light
  7. club — a group
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — for dancing
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. club — for golf
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a dance
  24. season — in sport

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