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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. kick — in football
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pit — a hole
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. content — happy
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mate — to breed
  22. content — the amount
  23. bass — low music
  24. content — videos and posts

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