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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. present — a gift
  20. wound — an injury
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. present — the time now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. present — there

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