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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the fish
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bulb — for light
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. racket — for tennis

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