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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. field — a subject
  7. net — after costs
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — in cards
  10. field — for sport
  11. snap — to click
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. field — farmland
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bulb — for light
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — to fit
  24. net — in sport

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