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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a trace
  4. dip — to sink
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rest — what's left
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — of the year
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. season — in sport
  24. rest — a break

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