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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chair — a leader
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. sharp — clever
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. root — of a word
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. root — the cause
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bulb — of a plant

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