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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spell — letters
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rest — a break
  10. kick — in football
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. saw — the tool
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — a short time
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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