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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. firm — a company
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — in football
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. craft — a skill
  10. firm — steady
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. craft — boats
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lean — to bend
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lean — thin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. firm — decided

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