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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. field — farmland
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. court — of a king
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. court — of law
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. staff — employees
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. field — a subject
  19. bulb — for light
  20. field — for sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — part of the body

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