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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — of your body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. chest — a box
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — there
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — a gift

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