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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 116 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ball — a dance
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. plane — a tool
  10. race — a contest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. race — humankind
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. race — the arms race
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fork — in a road

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