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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — a company
  3. season — in sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — of the year
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pit — in a race
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a hole

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