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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bulb — for light
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fork — in a road
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. racket — a loud noise

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