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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bank — of a river
  5. content — happy
  6. net — for catching
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — the time now
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — a group
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. net — after costs
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bank — for money
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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