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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — a company
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bat — the animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — of a river
  16. staff — a stick
  17. firm — steady
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — decided
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. bulb — for light

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