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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. spell — magic
  7. season — in sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — letters
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a hat
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — of the year

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