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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. capital — a city
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. capital — money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. branch — a division
  16. kick — in football
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. leaves — to go away

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