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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. present — there
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. present — the time now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. field — farmland
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. field — a subject
  21. present — a gift
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — for sport
  24. trunk — of a car

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