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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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