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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. suit — to fit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — rain
  12. mate — a friend
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a dance
  15. prune — to trim
  16. game — a match
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — clothes
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. game — wild animals
  24. prune — to trim

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