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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. club — for golf
  4. file — a tool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. track — a path
  9. file — a document
  10. land — to come down
  11. file — a line of people
  12. net — after costs
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a song
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. club — a group
  22. can — to be able to
  23. net — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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