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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 124 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. band — a ring
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bound — obliged
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — soda
  10. bound — certain
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pop — music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pop — to visit
  20. band — a music group
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bound — tied together

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