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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hand — in cards
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hand — help
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. club — a group

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