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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kick — in football
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. object — a thing
  14. net — in sport
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. object — an aim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — for catching
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — to protest

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