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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — high quality
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. band — a music group
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. object — to protest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fine — all right

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