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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: cap · firm · bay · mug · lean · racket · bulb · club

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. club — for dancing
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lean — to bend
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. club — for golf
  13. firm — steady
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a face
  18. lean — thin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mug — a cup
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cap — of ice
  23. club — a group
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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