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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pit — a hole
  4. squash — the sport
  5. perch — the fish
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. current — of water
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — thin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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