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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. net — after costs
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — in a road
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. court — of law
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bulb — for light
  21. court — for sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. court — of a king
  24. ruler — for measuring

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