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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: racket · patient · bulb · bear · leaves · key · pit · sharp

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — in music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — in a race
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a hole
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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