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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pop — music
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — help
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pop — soda
  24. calf — a young animal

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