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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — to breed
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — for light
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. craft — a skill

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