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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. branch — a division
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a bank

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