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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rock — a stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — a match
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lean — thin
  15. rock — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rest — a break
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hide — to keep secret

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