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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.

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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. spell — a short time
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spell — letters
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fine — high quality

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