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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cue — a hint
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — for pool
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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