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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — in a road

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