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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — in cards
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — the animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. hand — help
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. tear — to rip
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tear — from crying
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for dancing

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