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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. roll — a list
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. roll — a cake
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young 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