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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — to handle
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. toast — bread
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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