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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · ball · bulb · prune · bore · jam · lie · kick

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — to tire
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a dance
  20. kick — in football
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. racket — for tennis

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