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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — boats
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — a series
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rash — hasty
  8. row — a line
  9. bulb — for light
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — a skill
  16. roll — a list
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rash — on the skin

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