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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 124 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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. kick — in football
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. present — there
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mate — a partner
  20. present — the time now
  21. game — a match
  22. present — a gift
  23. cue — a signal
  24. land — ground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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