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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. tear — to rip
  7. suit — clothes
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bat — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mine — an explosive

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