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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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