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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. net — for catching
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. net — in sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — after costs
  10. cue — for pool
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. degree — from a university
  23. can — a tin
  24. degree — temperature

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