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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — in football
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. track — a song
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a round shape

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