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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — to keep track
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a song
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. swing — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — in golf
  14. scale — size or range
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. swing — to play on
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — in music
  23. snap — to click
  24. scale — for weighing

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