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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. last — to go on
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. last — final
  6. kick — in football
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. net — after costs
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to sink
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. net — for catching
  18. last — finally
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bay — a horse colour

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