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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. can — a tin
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — a short time
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. shower — to wash
  13. chip — to eat
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — to be able to
  16. shower — rain
  17. spell — letters
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — the fish
  23. spell — magic
  24. wake — a trail

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