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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rest — what's left
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — hasty
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rash — a series
  22. ball — a great time
  23. craft — boats
  24. pound — a weight

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