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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rest — a break
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cold — an illness
  13. bound — obliged
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cold — not warm
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. firm — steady
  24. foot — the bottom

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