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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. present — the time now
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bulb — for light
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pound — a weight
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — a gift
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. present — there
  24. mouse — 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