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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. spring — the season
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spring — of water
  7. bulb — for light
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rock — music

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