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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bulb — for light
  3. file — a document
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. shower — rain
  12. snap — to click
  13. shower — to wash
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. file — a tool
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. calf — of the leg

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