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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fall — the season
  4. pound — a weight
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spell — letters
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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