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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. drill — army training
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. sharp — clever
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pop — soda
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. field — a subject
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a great time
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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