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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. last — final
  9. suit — clothes
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. vault — a safe
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — of the leg

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