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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. season — of the year
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. season — in sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — for a computer

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