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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 120 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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — a tin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — to fit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. perch — the fish
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wind — moving air
  24. kick — in football

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