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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitcher — a jug

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