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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. object — a thing
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. track — a song
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. object — to protest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a path
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. net — in sport
  16. mug — a face
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mug — a cup
  19. kick — in football
  20. object — an aim
  21. pit — a hole
  22. net — for catching
  23. bulb — for light
  24. net — after costs

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