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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · swing · calf · bulb · rock · pop · tear · bear

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. rock — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. swing — to play on
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tear — from crying
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. swing — music

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