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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — the time now
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. present — a gift
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — tied together
  18. present — there
  19. roll — a list
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mark — a grade
  24. roll — on a roll

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