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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tube — the underground
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rule — government
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. kick — in football
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rule — a law

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