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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bulb — for light
  3. club — for dancing
  4. field — for sport
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. club — a group
  13. field — farmland
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. shower — rain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. club — for golf
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  24. field — a subject

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