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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. shower — rain
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — a young animal

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