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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. spell — magic
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. spell — letters
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bark — of a tree

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