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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 116 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. can — to be able to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — of a plant

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