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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.

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Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fine — all right
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a match
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — for light
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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