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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — wild animals
  9. track — a song
  10. cue — a hint
  11. game — a match
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a path
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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