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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. row — a line
  3. toast — bread
  4. shower — rain
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. vault — a safe
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bulb — for light
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. object — a thing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. shower — to wash

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