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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 116 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ball — a dance
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. squash — the sport
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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