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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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468
Word bank
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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: firm · track · bear · bulb · racket · court · kick · club

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. club — for golf
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. bear — the animal
  12. club — a group
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. track — to keep track
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. court — of law
  21. club — for dancing
  22. kick — in football
  23. firm — steady
  24. track — a song

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