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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mug — a face
  7. spell — letters
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mug — to rob
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bulb — for light
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spell — magic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bark — to shout
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. arm — part of the body

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