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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. current — happening now
  14. pop — to visit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. trunk — of a car

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