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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — in football
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cap — of ice
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — in a road
  24. track — a path

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