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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bound — obliged
  6. snap — to click
  7. club — a group
  8. net — for catching
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pop — to visit
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. net — in sport
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. club — for golf
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — certain
  20. net — after costs
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — for light
  24. racket — for tennis

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