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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pop — to visit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. degree — an amount
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. drill — a practice
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. drill — army training
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. degree — temperature
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pop — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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