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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — wild animals
  5. scale — size or range
  6. game — a match
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — in music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rock — music

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