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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mug — a cup
  6. lean — thin
  7. mug — a face
  8. content — happy
  9. press — to push
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. lean — to bend
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — for golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mug — to rob
  24. game — a match

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