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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. club — for dancing
  4. last — final
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. club — for golf
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — to go on
  21. club — a group
  22. bass — low music
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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