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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fine — all right
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — music
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rest — a break
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — soda
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. net — for catching

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