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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bat — the animal
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — of a river
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — size or range
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

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