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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: roll · bulb · cell · fine · cap · racket · mine · jam

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cell — in biology
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. fine — all right
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cap — a hat
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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