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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. swing — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wind — moving air
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wind — moving air
  24. calf — a young animal

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