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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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Word bank
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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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