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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. present — there
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. court — of law
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. present — a gift
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. court — for sport
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. court — of a king
  24. game — a match

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