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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — a path
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — music
  19. track — a song
  20. present — there
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a round shape

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