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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — exactly

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