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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. fall — to drop
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. field — for sport
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. field — a subject
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. fall — the season
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. kick — in football
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. field — farmland
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fan — a supporter
  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