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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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. pop — to visit
  11. root — the cause
  12. rule — government
  13. kick — in football
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pop — music
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pop — soda
  24. rule — a law

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