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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. land — a country
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. land — ground
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — a division
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fine — all right
  12. object — to protest
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fine — high quality
  20. object — an aim
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. object — a thing
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. plane — a tool

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