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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. race — the arms race
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cell — a phone
  11. race — a contest
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chip — for betting
  18. race — humankind
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cell — in biology
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bulb — for light

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