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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. tube — a container
  22. craft — boats
  23. rock — music
  24. craft — a handicraft

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