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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kick — in football
  10. staff — employees
  11. cap — a lid
  12. craft — boats
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — of ice
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. club — a group
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. club — for dancing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bulb — for light

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