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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — low music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — happening now
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stock — goods
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stock — shares
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. drill — army training

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