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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. object — a thing
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. object — an aim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — to protest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kick — in football
  22. mate — a friend
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — of a plant

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