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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: fan · cabinet · rest · bulb · racket · bat · date · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — a break
  12. bat — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. fan — to cool the air

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