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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. band — a ring
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — clever
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. band — a music group
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bulb — for light
  20. deal — to handle
  21. board — to get on
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. board — a committee
  24. kick — in football

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