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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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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. land — to come down
  7. bore — to drill
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. pop — music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pop — soda
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bay — a horse colour

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