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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — a gift
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. present — there
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bat — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. dip — to dunk

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