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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pop — soda
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lean — thin
  8. pop — music
  9. mug — a face
  10. craft — boats
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — a cup
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — the time now
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mug — to rob
  17. present — a gift
  18. lean — to bend
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. kick — with a leg

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