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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. staff — employees
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. season — of the year
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — a lid
  16. staff — employees
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. staff — a stick
  24. season — in sport

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