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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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — a gift
  5. kick — in football
  6. present — the time now
  7. current — electric
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — happening now
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. current — of water
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. present — there
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a cup

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