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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. swing — to play on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — in football
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — music
  12. season — in sport
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. swing — in golf
  15. season — of the year
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chair — a leader
  24. nail — for a hammer

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