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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. spell — magic
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rush — a thrill

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