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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a music group
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. game — wild animals
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. game — a match
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pit — a hole
  24. dip — to sink

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