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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spring — of water
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spell — letters
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. toast — bread
  22. spell — a short time
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — the most admired

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