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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. plane — a tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kid — child

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