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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — steady
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. scale — in music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cue — a signal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cue — for pool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — decided
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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