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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. club — for golf
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. perch — the fish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — to fit

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