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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a dance
  18. dip — to dunk

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