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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bass — the fish
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bass — low music
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fork — in a road

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