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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fine — high quality
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — decided
  8. band — a ring
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. squash — to crush
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. bulb — for light
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fine — a penalty

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