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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. shower — to wash
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cell — in biology
  15. squash — the sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — rain
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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