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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. present — a gift
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wake — a trail
  8. net — after costs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. net — in sport
  12. kick — in football
  13. present — there
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. present — the time now

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