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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kick — in football
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — after costs
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. net — for catching
  20. bear — the animal
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. march — the month

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