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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — money
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pop — soda
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. spell — magic
  13. mark — a trace
  14. capital — a city
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pop — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. capital — a big letter

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