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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. land — to come down
  3. bulb — for light
  4. club — for golf
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. kick — in football
  9. land — a country
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. club — a group
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. land — ground
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. nail — for a hammer

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