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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rule — a law
  7. staff — employees
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — for tennis

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