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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. toast — bread
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — the time now
  6. object — an aim
  7. shower — rain
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. present — there
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — a grade
  16. shower — to wash
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — a gift
  21. object — a thing
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mark — a trace
  24. object — to protest

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