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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. firm — steady
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. swing — in golf
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — decided
  21. kid — to tease
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. swing — music
  24. firm — a company

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