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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — in music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — of water
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. scale — size or range
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. current — happening now
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. dip — to sink

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