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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.

Words on the sheet
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: can · court · bulb · rock · foot · bay · racket · wound

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — for sport
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — of a king
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. court — of law

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