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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. object — to protest
  3. game — a match
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. band — a ring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. shower — rain
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — a thing
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. object — an aim
  23. band — a music group
  24. bear — to put up with

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