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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fork — in a road
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. band — a ring
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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