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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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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mug — a cup
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. object — a thing
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — in football
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — in music
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — a stone
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rock — music

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