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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pit — a hole
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cabinet — ministers

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