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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — a position
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. kick — in football
  22. bulb — for light
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. row — a line

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