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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. ball — a great time
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — happy
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. kick — in football
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pass — a permit
  22. content — the amount
  23. scale — in music
  24. coach — a trainer

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