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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rock — a stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — for light
  8. last — final
  9. land — to come down
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. mine — for digging
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — finally
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. last — to go on
  23. rock — music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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