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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rush — hurry
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — electric
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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