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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chest — of your body
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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