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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. current — of water
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. track — a song
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. track — a path
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — electric
  24. mouse — the animal

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