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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. track — a path
  3. scale — size or range
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ball — a dance
  10. drill — the tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bulb — for light
  21. track — a song
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ball — a great time

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