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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. roll — a list
  6. net — after costs
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mug — to rob
  9. tube — a container
  10. bulb — for light
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pop — soda
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pop — music
  16. mug — a face
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. net — in sport
  21. mug — a cup
  22. toast — bread
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a cake

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