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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 120 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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a document
  8. spell — magic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — in cards
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. file — a line of people
  19. spell — a short time
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spell — letters
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. dip — to sink

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