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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — there
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. present — the time now

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