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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fall — to drop
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. deal — to handle
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. scale — in music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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