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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 124 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. current — happening now
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. sharp — exactly

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