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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — the season
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — there
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. key — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spring — a coil
  17. key — for a lock
  18. current — electric
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spring — of water
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. can — a tin

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