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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 124 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wind — moving air
  6. court — of law
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — decided
  9. mug — a cup
  10. firm — steady
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. court — for sport
  16. firm — a company
  17. pit — in a race
  18. court — of a king
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a face
  24. wind — to turn a key

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