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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spring — of water
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. craft — a skill
  11. kick — in football
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rush — hurry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — boats

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