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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: bulb · cap · foot · bear · toast · deal · lean · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. 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. lean — to bend
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. toast — bread
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — a hat
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — thin
  23. cap — a lid
  24. 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