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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ball — a dance
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. rock — a stone
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. staff — employees
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bank — for money
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — of a river
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — the fish
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ground — crushed

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