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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. roll — a list
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. court — for sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. roll — a cake
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitch — a sports field

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