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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mate — to breed

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