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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 116 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pit — in a race
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — clever
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cold — an illness
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. cold — not warm
  23. suit — clothes
  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