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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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 — a loud noise
  2. ball — a great time
  3. row — a line
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a dance
  7. club — a group
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. club — for golf
  10. mark — a grade
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rock — a stone
  20. season — of the year
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — a trace
  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