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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. object — to protest
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pop — music
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pop — soda
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pop — to visit
  16. object — an aim
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. object — a thing
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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