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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. club — a group
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rash — a series
  14. band — a music group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. band — a ring
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. club — for golf
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. perch — the fish
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rush — a thrill

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