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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fall — the season
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. kick — in football
  11. scale — in music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. safe — a strongbox

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