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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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