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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — a trail
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rule — a law
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rule — government
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. shower — rain
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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