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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. object — to protest
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. object — a thing
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — an aim
  20. fall — the season
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. kick — in football
  24. fall — to drop

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