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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. band — a ring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — the fish
  21. band — a music group
  22. court — of law
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. court — of a king

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