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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — in football
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. capital — a city
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. roll — a list
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stock — shares
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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