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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — a partner
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mate — to breed
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — wild animals
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bulb — of a plant

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