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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. last — finally
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kick — in football
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. staff — employees
  13. perch — the fish
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. tube — a container
  16. last — to go on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pound — a weight
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. last — final
  24. pound — to hit hard

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