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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 looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — there
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — a tin
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. rest — what's left
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — a break
  24. bulb — for light

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