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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. net — for catching
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. net — in sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a ring
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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