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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to sink
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. track — a song
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — steady
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — a company
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. racket — for tennis

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