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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kid — child
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. firm — decided
  8. craft — boats
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kid — to tease
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — steady
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stem — to come from
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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