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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. object — a thing
  3. kick — in football
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. object — to protest
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. toast — bread
  16. court — of a king
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. object — an aim
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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