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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. object — to protest
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — an aim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rest — a break
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. squash — to crush
  19. snap — to click
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. stem — to come from
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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