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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hand — in cards
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hand — help
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — to go away

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