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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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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: craft · racket · can · bulb · clip · suit · mark · ground

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mark — a trace
  3. suit — in cards
  4. can — a tin
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — to cut
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — a position
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. suit — clothes
  11. can — a tin
  12. craft — boats
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — to be able to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. clip — a video
  18. ground — crushed
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ground — the earth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a skill

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