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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — for catching
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — rain
  5. net — in sport
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. squash — the sport
  8. key — in music
  9. net — after costs
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. suit — clothes
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. key — the most important part
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — in cards
  20. key — for a lock
  21. shower — to wash
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — to fit
  24. foot — the bottom

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