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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. object — a thing
  3. bulb — for light
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. shower — rain
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. court — of law
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bank — of a river
  19. object — an aim
  20. court — for sport
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of a king
  24. object — to protest

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