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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. coach — a trainer

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