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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — to fit
  3. land — a country
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — in cards
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. land — ground
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. net — in sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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