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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kid — child
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. charge — in control
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. key — for a lock
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. kid — to tease
  19. key — in music
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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