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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · bulb · temple · pitcher · racket · suit

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — to handle

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