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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · lie · can · bear · court · jam · sharp · spell

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. court — of a king
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bear — the animal
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. spell — letters
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spell — magic
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lie — to recline
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. spell — a short time
  24. sharp — exactly

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