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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wind — moving air
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cap — a lid
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — a skill

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