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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. kick — in football
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rule — government
  12. hand — help
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rule — a law
  23. can — to be able to
  24. leaves — of a tree

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