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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — a face
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lean — thin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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