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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pop — soda
  5. bear — the animal
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pop — to visit
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — a list
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. pop — music
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bulb — of a plant

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