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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.

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: pop · game · stick · capital · deal · calf · bulb · perch

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pop — music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a match
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pop — soda
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. capital — money
  24. bulb — for light

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