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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 116 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. firm — steady
  4. game — a match
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — decided
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. object — to protest
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — a company
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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