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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. march — the month
  4. fine — high quality
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. board — a committee
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. net — after costs

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