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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cold — not warm
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. kick — in football
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cold — an illness
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stand — to bear

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