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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. kick — in football
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — a tin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — with a leg

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