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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. row — to paddle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. date — the fruit
  6. hand — help
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. row — a line
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bulb — for light

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